Body Pump!!!

Hello!

Late blog post tonight, still recovering from the disappointing So You Think You Can Dance- Ashley over Miranda, really judges?  I'll get over it.  I am also still recovering from my first BODY PUMP class.  My friends Tess, Delaney (shout out to 2/3 of my blog readers!), and I took the class at our local Y last night and all agree that we are really feeling the burn today.

Body Pump is program designed by Les Mills International, the largest exercise-to-music workout routine distributor in the world.  According to the Les Mills website, "BODYPUMP™ is the original barbell class that strengthens your entire body. This 60-minute workout challenges all your major muscle groups by using the best weight-room exercises like squats, presses, lifts and curls. Great music, awesome instructors and your choice of weight inspire you to get the results you came for – and fast! Like all the LES MILLS™ programs, a new BODYPUMP™ class is released every three months with new music and choreography."


According to Olivia, "Body Pump is a workout routine that kicks your butt (and the rest of your body) through weight lifting exercises isolating a muscle group.  Each muscle group is a part of a 'track'.  Basically one song long equals one track and during that track you work a specific muscle group.  The groups include biceps, chest, shoulders, triceps, abs, back, glutes, etc."


I personally loved this class and have been looking forward to taking it for a while now.  Things I liked about it:


-Helpful, enthusiastic instructor
-Focus on technique prior to starting each track
-Total body strengthening 
-Each track goes by quickly since you are lifting to fun music
-Mindless way to get in your strength workouts (I love lifting so this is a big one for me)
-Burn up to 600 calories a class


Other comments: 
If you like lifting on your own and do not like to follow instruction then this class may not be for you.  If you are a guy, I don't think this is a "girly" fitness class.  There definitely were more women but depending on the amount of weight added to your barbells, this could be a great workout for men as well as women.  


I'm definitely going back to class next week!


Have any of you taken a Body Pump class, or any Les Mills classes for that matter?


What do you like better, strength workouts or cardio?  What kinds? (running and lifting for me)


Night!

It'ssss Hump Day

Happy Hump Day everyone!

You know what that means, weekend's almost here.  It's not just any old weekend either, it's a 3-day 4th of July weekend!  If that doesn't motivate you to get through the week then I don't know what will.

I thought today I'd do a "currently" post- I've seen a couple of bloggers do them so I'm gonna take a crack at it.  Some of them are literally what I am doing as I type this and others are what I am doing in life generally speaking- guess which ones are which!   I will also be making up my own categories because it's my blog and I can do what I want :)

Currently...


Eating:: noodles with butter and cheese (5-year-old status over here)


Drinking:: water

wow, this is so interesting...

Watching:: Arrested Development


Reading:: Handle with Care by Jodi Picoult


Lusting over:: Clarisonic Mia

Loving:: TOMS

Hating:: mosquito bites

Obsessed with:: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's red carpet looks

Ashamed of:: liking "Victorious" on Nickelodeon

Enjoying:: this video

Wishing:: That I could dance like her #swag

Buh Bye Bentley

Good Morning!!!

        I'll start off by saying that I am usually a really big Bachelorette fan.  Every Monday I go to my friends house to watch the show and we have fun picking our early favorites, making fun of some of the weirder bachelors (anyone notice that two of Josh Groban's brothers are on this season?), and critiquing the dates the bachelorette chooses.  This season though has been pretty painful to watch- not only has Ashley been whiny, insecure, and too focused on Bentley to focus on any of the other guys, but my Bachelorette viewing crowd is also confused by so many of her actions: 

Why did she send Ben C. home last week for thinking about online dating, without giving him a chance to explain himself, when she herself was thinking about a relationship with Bentley the whole time (hypocritical much)?  Is Ashley confusing her group dates for challenges on Survivor?- boxing matches and dragon boat races do not help you get to know the men better. Has Ashley ever spoken to Texas man before her one-on-one date? (ha JK).

Finally last night she got her closure with Bentley but do you think she dealt with him too late in the game?  To me, she has not made a connection wth anyone but JP (my favorite!) and there are very few men left.  Do you think she has time to make a connection with any other guys?  More importantly, do you think the producers should have showed Ashley the footage of Bentley sayng all those nasty things about her?  I almost think it was rude of them not to and it is hurting the credibility of the show.  If she wants to move forward and ultimately find her fiance she needs to find some self-confidece, stop just fishing for compliments and start trying to get to know these guys better. I miss the days of the great Jillian; Ashley needs some past Bachelorette counceling.  I hope the rest of the season works out better for Ashley and thus for us watching at home.

Also, anyone else agree that the only thing saving this season is the goofy but lovable Ames with his large set of shimmering teeth.  Everytime the camera cuts to his opened mouthed, confused stare I just have to laugh.

                                                                                Ames!

Have a great day :)

First Monday Post!

Welcome to the work week and my first Monday post (I could do that all week I guess but I will spare you)!

I am back on that babysitting grind after a nice, relaxing weekend off.  This summer I may not have a killer internship or research job and I may be back at home living with my parents, but I am studying for the GRE, researching graduate schools, jobs, and internships, doing a lot of reading, catching up with high school friends, and taking a much needed break for 3 months.  Breaks are important, but making money is too and that is what leads me to babysitting.  Things I love about babysitting- food that is not your own (I LOVE this aspect), being able to shamelessly watch really entertaining Disney and Nickelodeon shows, lounging by the pool while the kids swim, reading while lounging by the pool while the kids swim, payments in cash with not taxes taken out and most of all, listening to the humorous and somewhat inappropriate things kids say these days.

To get your Monday going I thought I'd post some new songs I've been feeling lately and some old favorites (warning: I have really eclectic taste):

New guys:

I Wanna Go- Britney Spears
Set Fire to the Rain- Adele
If I Die Young- The Band Perry
Better with the Lights Off- New Boyz ft. Chris Brown
Last Friday Night- Katy Perry

Oldies but Goodies:

Semi-Charmed Life- Third Eye Blind
Isn't She Lovely- Stevie Wonder
Red Red Wine- UB40
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)- Looking Glass
Ok, It's Alright With Me- Eric Hutchinson

Bachelorette is on tonight and unfortunately so is Bentley so I think I'll be needing one of these to deal with all of Ashley's emotions:

Get ready for a little recap tomorrow :)

Shopping dreams come do come true...sorta

Hi guys! (and by guys I mean the 3 or so friends I will force into becoming readers of my new blog)


Welcome to my new blog brown&black!  I have been toying with the idea of starting a blog for the past 6 months after becoming addicted to keeping up with the blogs I currently follow.  I have my favorite fashion, health, fitness, and overall lifestyle blogs that have inspired this little guy here and I thank them for bringing me into the blogging world- (check out the link at the top of the page for my favorite blogs).  brown&black will not focus on one thing in particular; I have too many different thoughts and interests to do that so hopefully you will enjoy the spontaneity of it all.  


Throughout my time as a professional blog reader (now am I a professional blog writer? yeah no), I have discovered Polyvore!  Polyvore is a site where you can browse and create different fashion looks using real clothing from your favorite retailers and designers.  There are also backgrounds, words, and accessories you can use.  It could even be a useful way to plan out outfits you want to wear in the future. All you have to do is search for the clothing you have in your closet.  But come on, the best part really is creating outfits with clothing you want.  Ever have those dreams where you bought that awesome dress you've wanted for a while and the next morning you go to your closet to wear it and find out it was only just a dreammm (Nelly style, I like Nelly)?  Well go on Polyvore and live out your fashion dreams without breaking the bank.  Polyvore is a fashion-obsessed broke college student's playground- play on.  


I've just started playing around but check out my two sets and follow me if you have an account!


I'm off to watch the season premier of True Blood in a bit- Happy Sunday Night!